Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick urges return of legislators to take up casino bill

SPRINGFIELD - Gov. Deval L. Patrick renewed his call for legislators to return to formal session early to take up the casino bill, which essentially died when the branches got hung up on so-called racinos this summer.

After speaking at a Caribbean Week event outside City Hall on Friday, Patrick said the House and Senate should return to Beacon Hill and pass a bill that focuses on the gaming components they all agree on: three destination resort casinos, including one in Western Massachusetts.

“I hope they will. If they’re as concerned about these jobs as I am, they’ll come back and take care of this right now,” Patrick said.

The bill stalled in the 11th hour after legislators sent a bill to the governor that called for three resort casinos and slot machines for two racetracks. The bill proposed basically handing slots to two tracks in the southeast part of the state without competitive bids.

Patrick refused to sign the bill unless the slots component were purged, and the session ended. On Friday, he echoed the sentiment.

“Save slots for another session. We’re not going to agree on slot parlors and I’ll never agree to no-bid contracts,” he said.

Patrick said he hopes the Legislature will come back to approve spending on $655 million in federal stimulus dollars for Massachusetts approved this week by President Barack Obama as part of a $26 billion package for all states.

A top lieutenant to the House speaker, Rep. Paul J. Donato, D-Medford, said on Thursday that he expected legislative leaders would decide after Labor Day about whether to hold a formal session on that issue.

However, Senate President Therese Murray, D-Plymouth, has said that body will not return to formal sessions to deal with any legislation including casinos.

State Sen. Stanley Rosenberg, D-Amherst, who has led a Senate committee on gaming, also said on Friday he was dubious over returning to the Statehouse before January.

“We don’t have the two-thirds vote to take up any matter,” he said.

State Rep. James T. Welch, D-West Springfield, said he would support returning to session to take up the spending and casino matters.

Regarding a second crack at gaming, Welch said: “My gut tells me that we got very close to getting it completed and I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to come up with some kind of compromise to get the package done.”